Texas Law

Texas law seems to make it impossible to register a VW engine trike if it is "home made" from two different donor vehicles. I look around at Craigslist inside and outside of Texas and there are plenty of these trikes around. OK... if a trike is registered inside or outside Texas that is a typical VW powered trike, can it be sold and registered with no issues in Texas? How has the fairly new laws regarding VW type trikes affected Texas trike owners?

[QUOTE=wiredgeorge;320161]Texas law seems to make it impossible to register a VW engine trike if it is "home made" from two different donor vehicles. I look around at Craigslist inside and outside of Texas and there are plenty of these trikes around. OK... if a trike is registered inside or outside Texas that is a typical VW powered trike, can it be sold and registered with no issues in Texas? How has the fairly new laws regarding VW type trikes affected Texas trike owners?[/QUOTE]
In talking with a DPS officer friend of mine that works in the Weights and Measurements group, it's near to possible to register a homemade trike in Texas. No matter where it was built. NOW, that being said they can be registered if they have a Manufactures Certificate tag on the vehicle and paper work. But there again you're going to have to jump thru a lot of hoops to get it legal for the road.

Just read the various articles and threads about the hoops Polaris had to go thru to get their Slingshot legalized in Texas.

Was at a local hang recently and ask a VW trike owner about his. He said his registration was to be re-newed in November and he was figuring he'd have to scrap it out because he's been told he couldn't get tags for it.

Glad I don't live in TexasThumbUpThumbUpThumbUp

Lots of bennies to living in Texas, but, apparently homemade VW trikes ain't one of them.

Guess the biggest problems centered around shotty welding and fabrication. I have seen in real life and in photos some pretty nasty wrecks resulting from these VW trikes coming apart. AND 90% were single vehicle accidents. He indicated the whole licensing process was going to involve weld certification via x-ray and magnaflux processes to insure these home-built trikes would not come apart in critical areas. This testing can be very costly. And a little bit of what he was saying lead me to believe the insurance industry was having a big say so in the law.

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It's shame so many will suffer for a few. I don't think facttories or anyone for that matter xrays or magna fluxes welds. When you think how few homebuilt trikes are out they're and apparently only killing themselves,texting phones and other electronics probably claim more lives. Those accidents usually seem to involve someone else. If the front end falls off my trike and I get killed you sure don't have to worry about a repeat performance.

Not saying I am moving to Texas, but I have before.
But.
Where I am registration is not a problem as long as some part of it has a vin and you have the title for that vin.
When I built mine I went to the local Dmv and asked. Was told if it has a vin on the neck then that is what it is .....period. So mine is a 85 goldwing, all pictured and recorded with an unlimited permanent antique licence plate. All completely correctly done by my local dmv, complete with insurance. The only question I was asked when it was inspected was "why is it black instead of blue like the title".

So if I were to move to Texas would they honor it's registration?

Wonder if you could go to Oklahoma, rent a PO box, wait out the time to establish residency, then register your trike there. If that were possible, I don't think Texas could stop you from riding in the state. Idle thinking.

Yeah that was a part of what I was thinking too.
I can see how they could block a new registation/build. But how could they force you out when it is already legally registered?

Seems to me it is politicians and bureaucrats passing regulations so they can stand and say, "See what I am doing for you to keep you safe?' it makes them look good without affecting the majority of the population. All the more reason to join ABATE or whatever your local motorcycle rights organization is called, and the the national level, the MRF or AMA.

[QUOTE=2006gold;320265]Wonder if you could go to Oklahoma, rent a PO box, wait out the time to establish residency, then register your trike there. If that were possible, I don't think Texas could stop you from riding in the state. Idle thinking.[/QUOTE]

If they catch you it's a stiff fine:

[SIZE=2][FONT=Helvetica Neue]http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/change-address.php
If you've [B]moved to Texas from out of state[/B], you'll need to:[/FONT]
[/SIZE]
[LIST][*][SIZE=2]Apply for a driver's license within [B]90 days[/B].[/SIZE][*][SIZE=2]Register your vehicle within [B]30 days[/B].[/SIZE][/LIST]
[FONT=inherit][SIZE=2][B][URL=http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/title-transfers.php]http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/title-transfers.php[/URL]
New Texas Resident Title Transfers[/B]

[FONT=Helvetica Neue]After moving to Texas, you have 30 days to [B]title[/B] and [B][URL=https://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/car-registration.php]register[/URL][/B] your out-of-state vehicle with the TX Department of Motor Vehicles.[/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue]You'll first need to have your car [URL=http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/smog-check.php]inspected[/URL] at your closest inspection station. This inspection will consist of a safety check for all vehicles, and an emissions check for [URL=http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/smog-check.php#Inspection-Requirements-and-Exemptions]specific counties[/URL]. Your vehicle must pass inspection before it can be titled in Texas.[/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue]After your inspection, submit to your [URL=http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/dmv-office-finder.php]local DMV office[/URL]:[/FONT]
[/SIZE]
[LIST][*][SIZE=2]Your out-of-state vehicle [B]title[/B] and [B]registration[/B].[/SIZE]
[LIST][*][SIZE=2]If your auto loan lender (lienholder) has the title, you will need an [URL=http://www.txdmv.gov/forms]Application for Registration Purposes Only[/URL](Form VTR-272).[/SIZE][/LIST][*][SIZE=2]A completed [URL=http://www.txdmv.gov/forms]Application for Texas Title[/URL] (Form 130-U).[/SIZE]
[LIST][*][SIZE=2]The Texas DMV provides an [URL=http://www.txdmv.gov/forms]instructions form[/URL] for your application.[/SIZE][/LIST][*][SIZE=2]Proof of Texas [URL=http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/car-insurance.php]auto insurance[/URL].[/SIZE][*][SIZE=2]Proof of your [B]passed inspection[/B].[/SIZE][*][SIZE=2]An [B]odometer[/B] disclosure [B][U]IF[/U][/B] your vehicle is under 10 years old.[/SIZE][*][SIZE=2]Proof of paid [B]sales tax[/B].[/SIZE][*][SIZE=2]Payment for required [URL=http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/title-transfers.php#Title-Transfer-Fees]TX title fees and taxes[/URL].[/SIZE][/LIST]


With the new emphasis on home made trikes you ARE going to get stopped to verify registration and drivers license. You have a Texas drivers license and a vehicle registered in another state, in this case, Okla. You've got a couple questions to answer, i.a. residential address in Okla. Not to mention getting insurance of an out of state registered vehicle by a [FONT=inherit]Texas residence. [/FONT]
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[FONT=inherit]Just saying....

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I gave mine to a friend, he wanted it to ride in parades and such.